Life-long learning also applies to UNCG faculty and staff, who are responsible for the successful development and implementation of online classes. For that reason, we evaluate classes constantly and apply new course development, teaching, and support tools to improve the online learning adventure.

At UNCG, we use the following tools to evaluate current online classes and to improve future online classes:

• Online class evaluation questionnaires. After participating in a UNCG online class, you will fill out an online class evaluation questionnaire at the end of the class. It covers your experience with the course, including the online course material and the help from instructors, advisors, and technical assistants. Sometimes UNCG will have students fill out mid-term questionnaires as well to assess how the class is progressing halfway through.
• Focus groups and usability tests. At UNCG we apply different research tools, such as focus groups, interviews, questionnaires, or usability tests of new classes to learn about your needs and ideas for UNCG online courses.
• Testimonials. At the end of your UNCG online class, you also have the option to express your personal experience with the online learning adventure at UNCG in a testimonial.

Online Class Evaluation Questionnaire

One tool for giving feedback about your online learning experience is our customized online class evaluation questionnaire that all online students fill out during and at the end of our courses.

We would like to learn about your:

• Overall experience with UNCG online classes. For example, "How much did you enjoy learning overall in the online learning environment?"
• Experience with the course management platform Blackboard. For example, "How easily could you sign up in the Blackboard system for your first access?"
• Impression of technical assistance. For example, "How helpful were the answers to your individual technical questions?"
• Satisfaction with the instructor's role. For example, "How much did the instructor contribute to you feeling comfortable in this learning environment?"
• Online course materials. For example, "How well did the unit readings introduce you to the concepts in your class?"
• Experience with online communication tools, such as the discussion forum. For example, "How present was the instructor in the discussion?"

Research Projects

At UNCG, we are very interested in improving online education for students. During or after your online class, we might ask you to participate in various projects, such as to bring your ideas about online learning–related topics into a focus group or to test a future online class. By participating you will contribute to the improvement of UNCG online education, and you will also be compensated for your input. We offer gift certificates to Barnes & Nobles that you can use at any of their stores or online.

Keep your eyes and ears open for options to participate in research projects. These options include:

• Meeting on a one-on-one basis. We want to learn about your individual needs and wishes for your online learning experience to improve future online classes and help resources. For example, what additional help topics you would like to find in our iCampus student help area?
• Discussing ideas at a focus group event. Sometimes we invite students to participate in brainstorming events on specific questions so that we can benefit from your perspective and experience as a student, for example, such questions as "About what topics would you like to learn about in a Blackboard tutorial?"
• Filling out an online questionnaire. We also ask for feedback on specific issues through questionnaires. For example, for creating help documents for iCampus, we asked students to rank the importance of various help topics according to their needs, such as time management and active participation.
• Testing a UNCG online class. We welcome UNCG online students to test-drive online classes. UNCG constantly revises or develops new online classes. This will ensure that the classes provide you with the newest developments in your subject area and also keeps current with new additions in the area of online education.

Testimonials

At UNCG, we are very interested in learning about your experience with our online classes. We would be happy to read how you experienced online learning in general, and how satisfied you were with the technical and instructor's support, the course material, the interactive community, and additional features (discussion forums, audio and video material, and games). If you are a UNCG student in an online class, please fill out the form below.

Name(please use either your full name or your first name and the initial of your last name):
Age:

Online Classes:

Degree Program (if it applies):
I give UNCG permission to edit my written testimonial and to publish it on the Web, in print, or other media.
Yes No

Some Ideas

1. Overall online learning experience with DCL

• Overall online learning experience
• Learning success comparison: Web vs. traditional face-to-face courses
• Variable time format for online classes
• Recommendation that other students take online classes at UNCG
• Likelihood of you taking another online class with UNCG

2. Technical support

• Overall technical support
• Usability of the introductory guidelines and descriptions for accessing Blackboard and the Web discussion
• Help with individual technical challenges

3. Instructor's help

• Overall instructor's help
• Availability of the instructor
• Instructor's contribution to your feeling comfortable in this learning environment
• Instructor's response to your individual concerns

4. Online course material

• Quality of unit readings
• Learning experience with video clips
• Learning experience with audio clips
• Quality of suggested links for single units

5. Threaded discussion

• Threaded discussion's contribution to your learning
• Threaded discussion's function of making you part of a learning community
• Instructor's role in the discussion